About GNL
The Glucose Never Lies®
An independent, evidence-led diabetes education platform — translating complex science into clear, practical understanding for people with type 1 diabetes.
How it started
The Glucose Never Lies® began for one reason — to help others understand what was happening to Jude, John’s son, after he tested positive for type 1 diabetes antibodies.
Back in 2019, the goal was simple: make the science of diabetes clear and accessible for family, friends, and anyone who might one day support Jude. What started as a small website soon became a trusted voice explaining why glucose behaves the way it does and how evidence can guide real-world care.
As the audience grew, so did the ambition. The podcast took off, clinicians began sharing episodes for teaching, and GNL’s reach expanded far beyond its original circle.
By 2025, The Glucose Never Lies® had evolved into The Glucose Never Lies Ltd — an independent company with a creative team, scientific oversight, and a clear mission: to translate complex diabetes science into practical, evidence-based insight that genuinely helps people.
The mission
Truth. Clarity. Science that makes a difference.
Every podcast episode, post, and collaboration goes through scientific review to ensure the information is accurate, current, and free from bias — while still creative, human, and accessible.
How this platform works
GNL is an educational platform built for people living with type 1 diabetes, their families, healthcare professionals, and researchers. Everything here — the guides, the explorers, the podcast content — is designed with one purpose: to help you understand the physiology of type 1 diabetes and explore what the current evidence says about how it can be managed.
The GNL Explorers are built from clinical trial data, real-world population studies, and established physiological principles. What they show is the average response — how insulin action, glucose behaviour, and algorithm performance tend to look across a well-characterised population.
That average matters. But it has a fundamental limitation worth understanding clearly:
Averages cover roughly a third of individual responses.
The other two thirds fall on either side — some people respond more strongly than average, some less. This is not a flaw in the tools. It is an accurate reflection of biological variation. It is also precisely why individualised advice from a team who knows you — your circumstances, your history, your educational capacity, your life — can never be replaced by a population-level model.
The GNL Explorers are not a prescription service. They are not a replacement for your diabetes care team. They are a framework for exploration and discussion — a way of making the current evidence base visible and navigable for people who may not have the resources to keep up with the science the way the GNL team does.
We hope that diabetes teams and those who support people with type 1 diabetes will embrace the opportunity for discovery learning that GNL offers — and that it becomes a bridge, not a substitute, for the clinical conversation.
Disclaimer
Please read this before using any GNL tool, guide, or explorer.
No therapeutic relationship
Using this platform does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and The Glucose Never Lies Ltd, its team, or its scientific advisors. GNL is an independent educational publisher. It does not provide medical care, clinical assessments, or individual advice.
What GNL tools and content are:
- Educational resources built from peer-reviewed clinical data, published guidelines, and population-level research
- A framework for understanding average physiological responses and the direction of change
- A starting point for informed conversation with your diabetes care team
What GNL tools and content are not:
- A prescription, a clinical recommendation, or medical advice for any individual
- A medical device — none of the GNL explorers or calculators are regulated medical software
- A substitute for individualised guidance from the clinicians, dietitians, diabetes educators, and care team members who know you
Average outputs from population-level models will not perfectly fit most individuals. Your CGM data is the real-world feedback. Your diabetes care team holds the clinical knowledge of your specific circumstances. Both are irreplaceable.
Any changes to your insulin settings, device configuration, or diabetes management must be made in collaboration with your diabetes care team — not on the basis of any GNL output alone.
This platform is covered by Media and Professional Indemnity Insurance with CFC Underwriting Ltd, via JM Glendinning. Full policy details on request: john@theglucoseneverlies.com
Where to start
Listen and learn
The GNL podcast translates complex diabetes science into clear, practical episodes — trusted by clinicians and people with type 1 diabetes alike.
Meet the mentors
The researchers, clinicians, and thinkers who have shaped GNL’s approach to diabetes education and science communication.
Latest episodes
Lead Developer
Phil Hayes
The questions that built the explorers
Phil Hayes is John’s best man and closest friend of more than two decades. He is also an AI and web development expert who, in 2025, became the lead developer behind every GNL interactive explorer. In 2004, John smashed his degree with 80%, followed by a distinction in nutrition and dietetics. Phil, who had been watching quietly, took that as a personal challenge and sneaked home with 82%. It is a detail that resurfaces most reliably when they are out running together — which they do often, and which John endures because Phil is always exactly two steps ahead. Well, almost always. On the badminton court and the tennis court, the scoreline reads differently. “Fifteen love” — Frankie Wilde. (An inside joke: fans of It’s All Gone Pete Tong will know exactly who that makes John.)
Phil’s contribution to GNL was not technical first. It was conceptual. Coming from outside the clinical world, he asked questions without the assumptions that clinical training quietly instils. What are the four things that actually govern glucose? His answer: food, insulin, movement and activity, and glucose measurement with rate of change. Build good models for those four and you can help anyone understand what is happening in their body and explore evidence-based adjustments with real confidence.
That framework became the architecture for every GNL explorer. The insulin exposure model, the activity explorer logic, the way starting glucose, trend arrows, and insulin on board are used as the primary predictors of glucose movement during exercise — all of it flows from asking the right questions without clinical bias. Phil holds that asking fundamental questions from outside the clinical bubble forces clarity about what truly matters, because expertise can sometimes obscure what is obvious from outside it.
GNL is not protective of what Phil has built. More good educational tools mean better understanding for more people living with diabetes. If you are working on a project that needs this kind of thinking and development, contact John and he will pass the proposal on to Phil.
Interested in building something similar?
If you are developing educational tools in diabetes or a related health area and want to explore whether Phil could support you, get in touch. We are not protective of what we have built. More good tools mean better education for more people.
Contact
We welcome opportunities for consultancy, educational projects, speaking engagements, and content development that align with our mission: to make diabetes science understandable, engaging, and evidence-driven.
- john@theglucoseneverlies.com — John Pemberton, Founder & Director (consultancy, speaking engagements, and educational projects)
- anj@theglucoseneverlies.com — Anjanee Kohli, Co-Director, Creative & Social Media Lead (content creation and development)
Stay in the loop
The GNL Team
John Pemberton, BSc, PgDip, RD
Founder & Director
Registered Dietitian and Diabetes Specialist at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, and founder of The Glucose Never Lies Ltd.
John leads GNL’s educational direction — driving it with a mix of skill, charisma, and relentless energy, powered by an ADHD brain that operates at a different speed and sees the world differently from most. That unique way of thinking has become GNL’s creative engine: fast, intuitive, and unafraid to challenge convention.
He has authored more than 30 scientific publications focused on CGM standardisation, exercise, diabetes education, nutrition, and technology translation. His work bridges research and reality, ensuring that GNL remains both clinically credible and personally relevant, translating science into understanding that genuinely improves lives.
John is not immune to the difficulties of living with type 1 diabetes. He also lives with ADHD and a functional movement disorder. He has written openly about some of his more challenging experiences and shared them for anyone who has faced similar difficulties.
Anjanee Kohli, BSc, MSc, RD
Co-Director, Creative & Social Media Lead
Registered Dietitian and Diabetes Specialist at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, where she works alongside John. Anjanee is also the Regional Peer Support Lead for Paediatric Type 2 Diabetes and an active contributor to the British Dietetic Association and its Diabetes Specialist Group.
Her expertise lies in digital communication, cultural competence, and visual storytelling — blending science with design to make complex ideas simple, human, and impactful. A creative force with a strong evidence base, she channels John’s energy and curiosity into focused, visually striking, and scientifically grounded content that resonates across social and professional audiences.
Through her work on social media and her own platform, Nutrition With Anjanee, she has developed a distinctive style that bridges nutrition, education, and creativity. Within the GNL, she is the creative architect, ensuring that every message not only captures attention but also stands firmly on scientific ground.
Dr Dessi P. Zaharieva, PhD, MSc, BKin, CEP, CDCES
Scientific Advisor to the GNL
A Certified Exercise Physiologist (CEP) and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), Dessi’s research focuses on exercise and glucose regulation in type 1 diabetes. She leads the 4T Exercise Study, supported by the Helmsley Charitable Trust, and integrates wearable-activity and CGM data within Stanford’s TIDE platform to improve clinical care.
Dessi completed her PhD and MSc at York University, Toronto under Dr Michael Riddell, and has authored 100 peer-reviewed papers.
She has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 27 years, competed internationally for Team Canada in taekwondo (bronze medallist at the 2013 World Championships), and holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Her personal experience drives her commitment to helping others manage diabetes with confidence and resilience.
Together with Professor Othmar Moser, Dessi was lead author of the international consensus statement on Exercise and Automated Insulin Delivery — a foundational document shaping how technology and activity are safely combined worldwide.
Stanford profile | ResearchGate
Professor Othmar Moser, PhD, MSc, Mag.
Scientific Advisor to the GNL
Full Professor of Exercise Physiology and Training Therapy at the Medical University of Graz (Austria), where he leads the Outpatient Clinic for Diabetes, Physical Activity and Exercise.
He chairs the Working Group on Diabetes, Physical Activity and Exercise within the German Diabetes Association and is widely regarded as one of Europe’s leading experts on exercise metabolism, CGM performance, and diabetes technology.
A former professional cyclist, Othmar was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2008 — an experience that reshaped his career and fuelled his commitment to advancing exercise science and diabetes care. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed papers.
He works closely with John in the drive to achieve global standardisation of CGM devices, so that a 70% Time-in-Range truly means the same thing for everyone with diabetes, regardless of the system they use.
Dr Adrian Brown PhD, MSc, BSc, RD
Scientific Advisor to the GNL
Dr Adrian Brown is an NIHR Advanced Fellow and Associate Professor (Principal Research Fellow) in Nutrition and Dietetics at the Centre for Obesity Research, University College London (UCL). He co-leads the MSc Dietetics (Pre-Registration) programme and teaches across UCL’s postgraduate and undergraduate nutrition degrees.
With over 19 years of clinical experience and a PhD in Medicine from Imperial College London, Adrian’s work focuses on obesity, type 2 diabetes, bariatric surgery, weight stigma, food insecurity, and sustainability in dietetic practice. His current NIHR Advanced Fellowship investigates weight-loss interventions for people living with obesity and kidney failure awaiting transplantation.
He has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, including studies in Nature Medicine, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism. His recent collaborative paper with John Pemberton explored how CGM accuracy-study methodology can be applied to people without diabetes.
Dr Brown chairs the Specialist Obesity Group of the British Dietetic Association, serves on the Board of Trustees for the Academy of Nutrition Science, and is an Honorary Academic for the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. He also sits on the Scientific Council of the British Nutrition Foundation, the Strategic Council for the APPG on Obesity, and acts as Associate Editor for Clinical Obesity and editor of the Manual of Dietetic Practice.
Through his dual academic and clinical roles, Adrian brings to GNL deep expertise in nutrition science, public health policy, and communication, strengthening the platform’s commitment to evidence-based, interdisciplinary education.
Scientific and creative governance
The Glucose Never Lies Ltd operates through a dual-advisory model, merging creative communication with scientific precision.
Since October 2025, John Pemberton and Anjanee Kohli have jointly developed GNL’s content plans and strategic direction — combining clinical insight, creative energy, and evidence-based storytelling.
Regular advisory meetings with Dr Dessi Zaharieva, Professor Othmar Moser, and Dr Brown — non-executive, non-statutory scientific advisors — challenge, mould, and shape the direction of the work. They provide independent critique and ensure that every GNL output is:
- Evidence-based and peer-aligned, grounded in the latest research
- Transparent and independent, free from commercial influence
- Creative and engaging, turning complex science into accessible, meaningful communication
This model ensures GNL continues to stand for what its name promises — truth, clarity, and the belief that good science, told well, can change lives.
Support GNL to remain independent
The Glucose Never Lies® is an independent educational platform. If you’d like to help keep producing high-quality, evidence-based content, support GNL via Buy Me a Coffee.
Independence and transparency
To make our work possible, The Glucose Never Lies Ltd receives unrestricted educational grants from diabetes technology manufacturers.
“Unrestricted” means that funders have no input, review, or influence over what we produce. We retain full editorial control and base all content on peer-reviewed scientific evidence.
We acknowledge that unconscious bias is always possible. Familiarity with specific technologies — and occasional payments for speaking, advisory, or consultancy work — may influence perspective.
Between 2011 and 2015, John worked for Medtronic Diabetes in sales, education, and marketing. This background provided valuable insight into how diabetes technology develops, reaches clinics, and is communicated to healthcare professionals and people living with diabetes.
That experience reinforced John’s belief that if diabetes technology is to grow quickly, safely, and intelligently, it must be built on close collaboration between industry, clinicians, and people with diabetes — but also on independence, candour, and scientific distance.
For transparency:
- John Pemberton has received honoraria, consultancy and advisory board payments from: Abbott Diabetes Care, Dexcom, Insulet, Roche Diabetes Care, and Tandem Diabetes Care.
- Anjanee Kohli has nothing to declare.
- Dr Dessi P. Zaharieva has received honoraria for speaking engagements from Ascensia Diabetes Care, Insulet Canada, Dexcom Canada and Medtronic; is on an advisory board for Dexcom and the Diabetes Research Hub.
- Professor Othmar Moser has research collaborations and received personal payments from: Abbott, Dexcom, Medtronic, Insulet, Roche, and Ypsomed.
- Dr Adrian Brown has received personal payments from Novo Nordisk, Office of Health Improvement and Disparity, Johnson and Johnson and Obesity UK outside the submitted work and is on the Medical Advisory Board and shareholder of Reset Health Clinics Ltd.
Legal and data
The Glucose Never Lies Ltd
Registered in the United Kingdom (Company No. 16733595)
Insurance
Media and Professional Indemnity Insurance with CFC Underwriting Ltd, via JM Glendinning.
Full policy details available on request via john@theglucoseneverlies.com
Data Protection
We are fully GDPR-compliant. Our Privacy & GDPR Policy explains how we manage personal data responsibly and transparently.
Connect
Stay up to date with new episodes, visuals, and educational content across our social channels:
- Website: theglucoseneverlies.com
- Podcast (Buzzsprout): theglucoseneverlies.buzzsprout.com
- YouTube: The Glucose Never Lies® on YouTube
- Instagram: @theglucoseneverlies on Instagram
- LinkedIn (Company): The Glucose Never Lies® on LinkedIn
- LinkedIn (John Pemberton RD): John Pemberton RD on LinkedIn
- X (Twitter): @GlucoseNLies on X
The GNL commitment
Peter Attia, whose thinking has shaped much of the GNL approach, puts it well: “Every fact has a half-life — some are just longer than others.”
GNL holds its convictions strongly — and loosely. Strongly, because the work is built on the best available evidence, reviewed by some of the best minds in the field. Loosely, because every research finding, every paradigm, every guideline will eventually be superseded. What GNL delivers today — through its explorers, its content, and its tools — is the best it could do at the time, based on current evidence, current guidelines, lived experience, and first-class clinical acumen.
That means GNL is always open to being tested. Always keen to adapt and iterate as the evidence and the feedback come in. Because just like the glucose never lies about what is happening in the body, feedback from people living with type 1 diabetes — and from those who support them — never lies about what matters most to them, and how tools and education can be life-changing.
We welcome your feedback, your challenges, and your experiences. They are what keep this platform honest.
